This invention relates generally to skin diving equipment, and, more particularly, to a breathing mouthpiece designed to reduce diver fatigue and facilitate underwater speech communication either with or without a microphone.
The rapid increase in the popularity of skin diving as a recreational activity in recent years has focused attention on the need for a mouthpiece which can be worn with less fatigue to the diver, and also the need for some means of underwater speech communication between divers, as well as between divers and those on the surface. The mouthpiece currently used by most divers includes an inwardly projecting bit element having an enlarged portion which fits behind the incisors or front teeth, and is held in position with the front teeth clamping down on the bit element outwardly of the enlarged portion. This is very tiring to the diver over a long period of time. The bit element usually includes a sealing flap which fits between the lips and the teeth. It can readily be appreciated that this type of mouthpiece almost totally precludes any movement of the teeth or lips, and thereby prevents speech communication by the diver.
A mouthpiece invented by J. A. Minton, Jr., et al., and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No 3,123,680, represents a significant improvement over the aforedescribed conventional mouthpiece, in that it provides two bit members symmetrically disposed about the center of the mouthpiece, so that the central portions of the lips of the wearer are movable to some degree. However, the two bit members of the Minton mouthpiece must still be gripped by the teeth located toward the front of the mouth, probably the canine or semimolar teeth, thus still precluding any movement of the teeth or any substantial movement of the lips in the formation of speech sounds.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that there still exists a need for a mouthpiece for underwater use which can be worn with much less fatigue to the diver and which allows convenient speech communication by the diver, either with or without a microphone. The present invention fulfills this need.